The workplace has changed drastically in the last few decades. With the rise of remote working, more people than ever are spending long hours sitting in front of a screen. Unfortunately, that’s not great for our health. Sitting for long periods can cause lower back pain and headaches, as well as reduce your ability to concentrate and stay focused on tasks at hand. However, there are ways to combat these negative effects of long-time sitting and keep yourself healthy:
Pain
It’s no secret that prolonged sitting can be bad for your body. But did you know it can also cause neck, shoulder, and back pain?
This is because the position we hold when sitting tends to put stress on these areas of the body. You may have experienced this yourself: if you’ve ever spent 7 straight hours at a desk job without moving around much (or even worse—while wearing a heavy backpack), then you know how painful it can get by the end of the day! This is because your muscles get used to staying in one position for extended periods of time and become tight or strained; as a result, they feel sore and stiff when you try to move them again after sitting still for so long.
The good news? There are plenty of simple things we can do about this: taking frequent breaks from your computer screen (and moving around) will help loosen up those joints before they start hurting too badly; doing some light stretching exercises before heading into work every morning could also be helpful–the more flexible our muscles are while they’re “resting” (i.e., not being used), the less likely they’ll be damaged later on by excessive strain during an activity like typing or lifting something heavy off-kilter!
Reduced circulation
Sitting for long periods of time can cause blood to pool in your legs, which can lead to varicose veins and other circulation problems. The best way to prevent this is by getting up and moving more often. Exercise is also important because it will improve your circulation by strengthening the muscles in your legs, thighs and buttocks that help pump blood back up from the feet through the body’s circulatory system.
Increased weight gain and obesity risk
One of the main problems with sitting for long periods of time is that it can increase your risk of obesity, which can lead to serious health problems. This is because when you sit down for extended periods, your metabolism slows down—which means that you burn fewer calories throughout the day.
In addition to increasing your risk of obesity, long periods of sitting have been linked with increased levels of unhealthy triglycerides and reduced levels in good cholesterol (HDL). All these negative effects combine together so that after just two hours or less per day spent sitting down, you’re more likely to experience a higher amount of fat around your waistline than if you were active throughout the day instead.
Lower moods and depression
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can lead to depression. Depression is a mood disorder that affects your emotions, behavior, and physical health. It can be treated with medication, counseling, or a combination of both. Exercise has been shown to help reduce the symptoms of depression by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.
How to prevent
The best way to prevent the negative effects of long-term sitting is to make a conscious effort to take frequent breaks from it. An easy way to do this is by standing up for at least a few minutes every hour, or even better: taking a walk outside if you can. You can also try massaging your feet when you’re seated, and doing some stretches at your desk (like the ones shown below). Our handheld massager is portable, small and quiet, very suitable for taking to the office for massage, you might as well buy one to help yourself relax tense muscles
If you’re unable to move around very much during the day, try switching out your office chair with an exercise ball or other kind of active seating option. Research shows that sitting on an unstable surface increases core strength and improves balance, so doing this regularly can help take pressure off of your back while improving overall health!
If you sit for long periods of time, it’s important to take steps to help your body. You can try stretching and doing some light exercise before sitting down again. You should also make sure that you have a chair with good support for your back and arms (like one from our website). If you have any questions about this topic or how we can help you out with office furniture needs, feel free contact us at any time!
